The week that time forgot

I know I would like to forget it. This past week, that is. The hernia surgery. The recovery. The isolation.

Oh, I know it had to happen. Well, it didn't have to happen, but if I was going to fix this bulge above my belt-line it needed to. I suppose in the grand scheme of things it will go down as a minor surgery and a fairly quick recovery time. Still... it was one of the most miserable weeks I've had in a long time.

I believe this is the longest I have ever gone without taking a shower (or bath). I took a shower Monday evening, and that was it until I finally covered up the incision and took another one Sunday mid-morning.

I also did not step foot outside the house from the time we got home from the hospital Tuesday morning... until also Sunday. After the shower we went for a walk around the neighborhood, then to the grocery store. Then later out to the Feipel farm. At first it was great, but it may have been too much all at once. It wore me out pretty quick.

While Jane was able to take me to and from the hospital, and stay with me the rest of that day, she otherwise put in her usual more-than-forty-hours of work the rest of the week (also working all afternoon until just before midnight Saturday).

Me? I spent the entire time in the confines of our two-story home. Much of it going between the recliner in the basement and the bathroom upstairs. I tried to walk around the house as much as I could every time I had to go to the bathroom. As the week went on I was able to sit upright in some other chairs. Friday night I actually slept on the couch (instead of the recliner). I am still sleeping on the couch, as I'm afraid of moving around too much at night in bed (or getting hit in the stomach).

Not only did the incision hurt, and I was freaked out because it's just glued together, but my back has hurt, I was bloaty for several days, and... maybe the worst thing... my dang throat and left ear hurt! I don't know if they scratched my throat with the anesthesia tube or if it was simply from not talking to anyone all week. I pretty much lost my voice for several days, and it's still pretty weak.

At the beginning of the week I pretty much just watched TV (Western's on Grit TV). I didn't feel much like reading, and thinking was not a high priority either. I think it was Thursday when I finally watched the Netflix movie, The Irishman. Friday I started to watch a couple others before falling asleep. I also started reading some on Thursday or Friday. It was Friday before I could stay awake for any extended time though.

So, yeah, it was a pretty boring time spent home alone. Not that I minded entirely. When I am sick, or in this case 'recovering,' I am probably not the most pleasant person to be around. I get that, but I also get lonely. I did appreciate Tom sending me a couple texts, and Jim (from Missouri) and Bill (from Pennsylvania) emailed. Otherwise... it was a pretty isolated time for me. The cat doesn't talk much.

I actually am a "stay-cation" kind of person. This was no vacation though! I'm sure my boss will equate it to one of his 6 or 7 trips to Disney every year. While I did appreciate the break from work, it was not fun or refreshing in any way.

I guess this qualifies as "it is what it is." It was worthwhile in that I was able to get the hernia fixed. It also gave my legs and the rest of my body a rest. I can't say that I really caught up on sleep though, because while there was never any excruciating pain, the constant "uncomfortable-ness" did not make for a very restful time.

Now, though, I'm hoping I can start to get myself back into shape. Oh, sure, it will take awhile. I don't foresee running or working out for another month or three. Perhaps this will give me a renewed sense of purpose though. Something to work for this summer.

I put this picture of me running my last marathon as a reminder. Not that I want to remember that marathon - it was one of my worst races ever (actually the Indy Mini and Fort4Fitness both from last year were rotten races for me) - but I want to remember that I am, indeed, a runner. Yes, I'm slow, but I can run through rain, heat, hangovers and being mad as a cat! I might be getting older, but I'm still going.

At least I hope so. I hope I can. If not... I guess I'll have to think of something else...

So, mark this down as one rotten week for me. I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow, and I can't even imagine that at this point. I guess we'll see.